Payoff (2003) User Reviews

Lost Between Crime and Comedy with Unlikable Characters

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 18 November 2015]

In Marseille, the lazy and dirty police Detective Maxime "Max" Tavarès (Titoff) is assigned by Commissaire Cagnoty (Etienne Chicot) to work with Detective Carlos Gomez (Stomy Bugsy), who has just been transferred from Paris. Gomez has problem to accept the procedures of the corrupt Max and they investigate the apparent suicide of the accountant Lucino. The efficient Gomez finds a four leaf clover into Lucino's nose and they seek out his daughter, the stripper Paulina Lucino (Élodie Navarre), and who might be the killer. They stumble with two criminals in front of her building and they arrest them. When a hit-man posing of lawyer kills the two men in the district, Gomez and Max conclude that there is an informer in the precinct. Meanwhile they contact Paulina and she asks for protection and a painting of her mother that is on the wall of her father 's apartment. Meanwhile Max is pressed by the Internal Affairs to help in the investigation of his partner, who lives in a fancy and expensive house with his wife, two sons and his sister Gina (Noémie Lenoir) and is more corrupt then him. When they find an account book in Lucino's safe, Paulina is the only one that can decipher the document. However Max and Gomez decide to use the document to extort the powerful mobster lord Silvio Baginorelli (Philippe Lemaire) and raise money. Will they succeed in their intent?

"Gomez & Tavarès" is a French film that does not work well, since the director is lost between crime and comedy genres, using the clichés of the genres. In addition, the unlikable characters that are amoral and dirty do not help to create empathy with any of them. The worst is that I saw this movie on VHS awfully dubbed in English. In the credits the viewer sees why Paulina was dying for having the painting. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Payoff – Acima da Lei" ("Payoff – Above Law")

For fans of the genre only

[Happy_Evil_Dude · 6/10 · 29 July 2008]

Maxime Tavares (comedian Titoff) is one of Marseille's best cops, but he's also dirty. When he's assigned a new partner, Parisian tough guy even more dirty supercop Carlos Gomez (rapper Stomy Bugsy), there's not exactly love in the air. Yet they'll have to learn to work with and appreciate each other when they stumble onto a huge case that has the potential of getting them a lot of money.

No doubt greenlighted following the success of that other Marseille-based action/comedy, the successful Luc Besson produced Taxi franchise, Gomez & Tavarès is yet another variation of the buddy cop genre, in the tradition of Lethal Weapon, Red Heat, Rush Hour, etc... The big originality here is how crooked the heroes are. Their interest in solving the case is not due to their sense of duty but to save their own skins (since they're're being investigated by internal affairs) and to reap as much cash as possible.

The movie gives a rather bad impression at first, with its "Shaft-like" soundtrack and seemingly very low budget, but it gets better as the film progresses. It still feels rather low budget (which it probably is) and there aren't any really cool/impressive action scenes. The tone of the movie is more serious-minded than comic, even if there is comedy layered throughout.

All in all, Gomez & Tavarès doesn't offer much originality in terms of plot and doesn't offer much in terms of thrills either. It isn't really bad either and offers casual entertainment. Some will appreciate the eye candy provided by model Noémie Lenoir (After The Sunset, Rush Hour 3) and the amusing dirty cops idea while others will shake their heads at the various plot holes and the weakness of the script in general. As for me, I'd recommend it mainly to fans of the genre, but warn them that it's definitely not one of the best entries. I wouldn't mind watching the 2007 sequel, Gomez Vs Tavarès, but I'm not in a hurry to either.

French buddy-cop movie with a twist of amorality

[gridoon2024 · 5/10 · 17 April 2008]

For anyone who thinks that Mike and Marcus are too arrogant, too egotistical, too uncaring about the consequences of their actions, etc., well, you haven't seen nothing yet - Gomez and Tavarès make those "Bad Boys" look like model police officers! Our "heroes" in this movie are two obnoxious, chronically dirty cops, who try to solve their case not so much because they believe in "justice", but simply to make some (illegal) money, and avoid being sent to jail by the Internal Affairs guys by giving them bigger fish to fry. Some viewers may feel that the unlikability of the leads gives "Gomez & Tavarès" an edge over similar American films, while others may feel that it makes it harder to enjoy. In either case, this "action comedy" contains relatively little action and relatively little comedy. The production is slick and the climactic helicopter vs. speedboat chase is a decent set piece, but nothing you haven't seen many times before. It's the striking, sexy, green-eyed Noémie Lenoir who provides the film's brightest moments. (**)

GOOD ACTION

[zukunft1908 · 23 May 2004]

This movie is not bad. The Action is good, the whole movie has a great look. It might have some little problems at the end, when the filmmakers really try to make this movie look more "international" or "hollywoodstylish", but that is okay, because it ist a charming movie. This movie is real good entertainment. And that's what this movie is made for!

Unfortunally some viewers want to watch a Michael-Bay-Movie. But guys: Michael Bay has budgets of more than 100 Millionen Bucks per movie! And compare this movie to all those American action-movies made for the international video / DVD - market in the last years (sind 1995). Most of these movies were bad and even worse. So "Gomez et Travares" might not be a masterpiece, but it is better than most b-Actionmovies from Hollywood of the last years.

THE WORST FRENCH MOVIE EVER MADE!!!

[FabZeFab · 1/10 · 12 November 2003]

Please, for your mental safety, stay far away from this awful movie! It's not even funny. Everything is failed. Director Gilles Paquet-Brenner tried to do like Michael Bay so he moved his camera at every image but he just managed to give us an headache. On stage, Titoff is not funny. On TV sets, he's just dumb. But on screen, it's catastrophic. He got dead cow eyes, he's unable to say a line with conviction,well i don't have enough words in English to tell you how Titoff is bad! The music is awful, the editing is terrible, the story has been written by a four years old kid,well, Gomez & Tavares, it's just a pain in the ass,the movie you don't want to see. Compare to it, VERCINGETORIX is a master piece!

some sparks in this action movie

[dromasca · 5/10 · 25 October 2005]

There are some sparks in this action movie, with a story about corrupt cops and gangs inter-fighting set in Marseille. Certainly, it is not easy to do an action film with much of the time filled in with car chases, and other type of stunts, when you do not have the means or the experience of the American film-makers in this field. That's why the good parts of the film need to be looked for some place else - in the characters of the cops - maybe bad guys on the right side of the law, maybe corrupt (there seem to be no straight cop in this movie) but still likable and credible, maybe in the cynical approach of the script that seems to say that there are no really good fellas on any side, but that even the bad ones are not that bad if you care to hear them.

The dialog between the cops and gangsters films made by American and French directors is not something new, it started in the 40s with the Bogart and E.G. Robinson films, was then taken over by the French in the 60s in films starring Alain Delon and Belmondo, and continues until nowadays, when borders are easily crossed and international casts are the norm. Here we have a touch of French humor, some bright dialogs that improve the quality of the film, and make it worth seeing after all.

"Bad Boys" in Marseille

[DanDreiberg · 9/10 · 7 April 2004]

I saw this movie at the German Fantasy Film Festival last year. The story starts with a typical buddy-movie setup: Tavares is a cop in Marseille. He is smart, somewhat good looking . and he is corrupt. Nevertheless nobody in the police department seems to care about his little misconducts. One day Tavares gets a new partner. Gomez is coming directly from Paris. He is one hundred per cent law-abiding and hates corruption. From the very first moment Tavares and Gomez are at each other's throats. But they have to work together. Investigating the murder of an accountant who was working for a drug cartel they have to protect his daughter who might be the key to bring down the syndicate. Eventually the mafia wants to eliminate the girl and the two cops. Let the havoc begin...

On the one hand `Payoff' reminded me of the light-hearted French action comedies of the Seventies I used to watch on TV when I was a kid (Belmondo's `L'Animal' comes to mind). On the other hand the movie clearly imitates modern American cop movies like `Bad Boys' or the `Lethal Weapon' series - especially when it comes to the visual style. Actually Marseille (the setting of the film) is presented as if it was Florida or California. The story might have its weak points and it also exploits a number of clichés, but there are lots of great action scenes and funny dialogues to keep you entertained.

Cool movie

[netresearch · 9/10 · 3 May 2004]

I never knew the French could make such cool movies. Laconic and violent, with obvious homages to the 1970s, "Gomez & Tavares" a.k.a. "Payoff" is full of action, blasts, and lots of fun. While the script may have some minor flaws around its edges (not grave though), this movie works just fine, with some fine acting, cool dialogue, excellent photography and brilliant editing (yes indeed!). The soundtrack (both the musical score and the sound effects track) deserves some a special mention for a job not just well done, but outstandingly done. This film looks and sounds much more expensive than it probably was. Even my girl-friend, The Brain, liked it, which I guess means that the movie is sort of smart. Never mind the signifier or the signified. This film is pure "parole". Enjoy.

one of the best french action comedy

[tayuf · 8/10 · 16 November 2010]

Before being an action movie, this is a comedy. The cynical kind. Maybe not for everyone. And like any comedy, it HAS to be seen in original version. So, if you don't understand french, just don't watch it. Action and comedy are definitely not genres that french are good at, but this one is really good. A rare piece then. Titoff and Jean Yann are especially good in their character. Another reviewer said Titoff was "the best cop" in Marseille. Really he didn't understand anything of the movie. Titoff is on the contrary a total loser cop and really nailed it. Other actors are not doing as good a job, but still correct. Good humour, good action, good picture, smart ending.